Bullet – Highway Pirates (2011)

Bullet is back with another head banging, hard rocking, ear splitting monster record, Highway Pirates. Coming off the phenomenal Bite The Bullet, Bullet was poised for quite a task to repeat such a great performance contained on their last record. Fortunately for both Bullet and their fans, the band was able to pull it off. The hard rocking, guitar shredding, heavy metal mayhem continues in stride on Highway Pirates.

Highway Pirates picks up right where Bite The Bullet left off, and while some fans may cry foul, it’s a perfect follow up. Not every album has to change direction and see a band growing musically while venturing into some different, astounding territory. Sometimes, if the formula works, then you stick with it. That’s exactly what Bullet has done with Highway Pirates much to the delight of my ears.

Highway Pirates launches with the title track and immediately there is no doubting who is blasting out of the radio speakers. Bullet is a loud, raw, in your face, heavy metal act that can pump up the juice in even the calmest of listeners. With ripping guitar work from Hampus Klang and Erik Almstrong,”Highway Pirates” sets the tone for the entire album, which is hard, heavy, and fast. This is true metal at its finest.

“Back On The Road” continues the shred fest of guitar genius. This song appears to be a sequel to “Road King” (from 2008’s Bite The Bullet) which is a delicious metal treat. “Road King” was one of the best songs from that album, and “Back On The Road” is another spectacular hard and heavy tune that’s sure to have heads banging in no time.

Dag “Hell” Hofer’s vocals sound as intense as ever on this record. His voice is a high powered tension wire that explodes through each song, screaming with energy and adding credibility to the music. As a lead vocalist, Hell Hofer is one of the best in the business. His vocal styling is one that many lead singers should envy. Filled with power, pitch, and ability, Hell Hofer is a vital part of what makes Highway Pirates so great.

Hampus Klang and Erik Almstrong are great guitarists in their own right. On Highway Pirates, they show other hard rock bands how guitars should be played. Their shred and rip style is ideal for the metal generation. The solos are clean and structured in perfect time with the intensity of the music. Klang and Almstrong go all out on tracks like Back On The Road, Blood Runs Hot, and Heavy Metal Dynamite. You would be hard pressed to find a better guitar tandem in the heavy metal genre.

The AC/DC influences can be heard all over Highway Pirates. Bullet takes the bar beat rock and roll to the next level by injecting some speed and thrash elements to the simplistic four bar sound. The results are simply amazing. Highway Pirates is a hard rocking hit that will not disappoint metal fans at all. Adding this metal music bliss to your collection is a smart move that would make your friends envious and showcase your hard rock genius.